Guard rail for highways



Feb. 7, 1928. 1,658,118

J. M. DODDRIDGE G ARD RAIL FOR HIGHWAYS Filed Jan. 25. 1925 INVENTOR JWEJ Mflozwz/pas.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 7, i928.

\ V 1,658,118 PATENT OFFICE.

JAME$ M. ,DODDRIDGE, OF MILTON, INDIANA.

GUARD RAIL FOR HIGHWAYS.

Application filed January This invention relates to a protective fencing having. certain characteristics such as strength, resiliency and adjustability.

The chief object of the invention is to construct a protective fencing of the character described such that nopart of the protective surface is provided with an obstruction and with sufficientadjustability necessary for accommodating the fencefto all curves and gradients.

Another main object of the invention is to utilize substantially standard iron forms or members and arrange the same such that the protective surface is exposed without any obstructions and that the standard forms are adjustable for all curves and gradients of the roadway.

One feature of the invention consists in the specific adjustable anchoring element whereby the fence may be adjusted to the inclination or grade of the roadway to be protected thereby.

'The invention consists generically of a standard section elongated metallic member such as a channel iron or the like associated with a post or posts of I-beam cross section and the like, by means of an angle plate and standard bolts, the angle or mounting being the only member that is of particularly special conformation.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying draw-- ings and the following description and claims: 7

In the drawings-Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a protective fencing of the character described. Fig. 2 is an "enlarged sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the anchoring bracket. Fig. 4:,is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings indicates the roadway and 11 the ditch adjacent thereto. The roadway 10 may be of suitable material and as is customary, the fence may be placed at the junction of the shoulder with the ditch, and I permit cooking of the bracket from the horiof concrete or the like. A U-bolt 15 is associated with a triangular but rectangularly arranged clamping member 16 through the medium of the nuts 17. The base of the U- belt is received by an eye 18 of the bolt 19,

23, 1925. Serial No. 4,203.

theend of which is suitably secured to a dead man or anchoring plate 20 suitably anchored in the ground beneath the roadway as by the concrete weight 21. The foregoing arrangement provides that considerable variation in the relative positions of the dead man and the foot may be had, yet the same anchorage employed in each'instance.

In the present inventionthere are shown three exposed surfaces, that is surfaces exposed to the roadway and that might be on gaged by the passing vehicle runningofi the roadway. Herein the lowermost retaining member is shown as an enlarged channel 22. Positioned above the same is a smaller channel 23, while positioned abovethat' and herein shown as forming the top rail, is an angle iron 24. v

The means for securing these rails to the post whereb no vehicle-engageable portion of the rail is provided with abutments or obstructions is as follows: A bracket in the eral figures a bolt and nut construction is associated with an elongated opening in the side or flange 22 23 of the channel and is adapted to securely anchor the bracket or angle iron mounting to the channel, said bolt and nut constructions being associated with'the slot 29. The foregoing associatedpermits the channels to abut each other but not in aligned relation unless the roadway is straight.

. A pair of bolts 31 together with a plate 32,

sti 'addle the I-beam 12 and securely anchor the bracket to the I-beam and thus the channel to the post. The bolts 31 are associated with the openings 27 in the bracket. .The bolt openings in place 32 are elongated to zontal where the gradient of the roadway renders the same necessary.

As shown clearly in Fig.2- the intermediate or roadway-exposed portion or web 22", 23 of the channel is devoid of all obstruction since the mounting is associated only with the side flanges of the channel. f I

A further feature of the bracket-is that it can be readily benteither td closeithe' angle orenlarge the angle of the V-gr-o'ove and thus pitch or incline one channel with respect to the adjacent channel, and thus make the fencing substantially conform to or follow the grade of the road where the foregoing adjustment isnecessary.

The angle iron 24 is herein shown .positioned at the top of the post or I-beam 12 and said I-beam isprovided at its upper end with an elongated slot 35 whichreceivesa U-bolt 36, the two ends of which project upwardly through elongated openings 37 in the angle iron or'angle irons 24 and the U- bolt is secured by suitable means such as nuts 38 to rigidly and adjustably mount the angle iron upon the I-beamtoprovidea top rail and a top for thefence. v v J The construction is such that ordinarily channel 22 is adapted to lie in the plane of the hubs or axles of motor vehicles, while channel 23 lies in the plane of the fenders.

r/ u Thus a vehicle WlllCll for any reason leaves the roadway and engages upon the fence,

is deflected thereby and will continue its travel along the fence without'serious damage to the vehicle and without any damage to the fencing, since the fencing is of metallic constructionand is relatively rigid, although in long sections engagement intermediate the post anchorages may cause the channel to flex slightly and thus throw the vehicle back toward the roadway by theengagement therewith. As shown clearly in Fig. 2 the lowermost channel 22 projects into the road-' way a greater distance than the channel23 which projects a greater distance than the' top angle iron 24. A. vehicle positioned upon the slope and inclined toward the fence, therefore, generally will engage the fence first by the hub engaging channel 22' before the fenders engage channel 23' or the top or" body engages angle 24. It is to be noted that top rails 24', channel- 23 and channel 22 each may be adjusted toa variety of necessary positions upon the I-beam. As the'level of the road changes,

or as the road wears away these adjust ments, particularly asto height mounting, can be made without changing the initial I- beam mounting orv position; These adjustments are-secured by loosening the various nuts on the several bolts and shifting several parts as required after which the nuts on said bolts can be tightened to' secure. the

channels or top rail the adjusted position.

or positions. I The invent on claimed is:

1Q In a fence construction of the character described the combinationof a post having an opening therethrough near the top thereof, an angle iron having one side resting upon thetop of the post and the other Side adjacent thereto, and a U-bolt receiv able by the post opening for anchoring the angle 1ron to the posts 2. In a protective plurality of (upright supporting posts, a

guard rail supported, by said posts, said guard-rail comprising a series of channel iron members arranged end to end and 'providing a continuous unbroken surface, each channel 1ron being substantially U-shape 1n cross section presenting a relatively broad,

smooth, unobstructed web portion, the said channel iron members positioned upon the said posts with their side flanges, directly fence for highways, a

abutting the latter so that the web portions are spaced outwardly beyond the posts, and

angle irons secured to the said flanges and to; the adjacent surfaces of said posts. l 3. In a-protective fence for highways, a

plurality of supporting posts,'a guard rail supported by said posts, angle irons for attaching said rail to said posts, each angle iron havingone arm rigidly secured to an edge of said rail, the other .arm of the angle 

